A new report commissioned by the Irish government has suggested Ireland consider paying a regular income supplement payment to fishermen, helping cushion the sector from fluctuating cuts to fishing quotas.
The report was conducted by independent consultant Kieran Mulvey at the request of Ireland Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries, and the Marine Timmy Dooley, and analyzed the state of the Irish seafood industry. Its suggestion of a income supplement aligns with previous industry calls for change.
Such a payment scheme has been sought by the National Inshore Fisherman’s Association (NIFA), which told SeafoodSource earlier this year it wanted a basic annual payment from the government to protect its members from losses due to climate change and reduced fishing opportunities.
“We are not looking for a wad of cash,” Eamon Dixon, a director within NIFA, told SeafoodSource. “We’re seeking a minimum wage for a couple of months – predominantly the winter months.”
The income supplement recommendation was one of multiple suggestions made in the report, which also called for a government-funded retirement inducement scheme that would pay older fishermen to retire, paving the way for a younger generation to enter the industry. The report highlights that a similar payment is already available in the nation’s agriculture sector.
Elsewhere, the report suggested the government help pay the running costs of fishery representative bodies, which should in turn be consolidated, replacing the many entities that currently exist.
Based on meetings Mulvey conducted with industry representatives, processors, and government agencies, he additionally recommended in the report that the government establish a dedicated department to handle marine affairs, including fisheries. As of now, fisheries governance is carried out under Dooley’s wide-ranging ministry, and any fisheries-specific bodies within the government are committees rather than a fully dedicated department.
Representatives of the Irish fishing industry said they believe many of the recommendations in the report are actionable, especially given Ireland currently holds the presidency of the Council of the E.U. for the next six months, thus setting the agenda on bloc-wide fisheries policy.
Aodh O’Donnell, CEO of the Irish Fish Producers Organization told SeafoodSource that his members want Ireland to use the presidency to secure “quota that reflects the size of Irish waters, as well as a seat on the Pêche Committee [in the European Parliament] that reflects Ireland’s stake in this sector [and] a real push for sustainable, comprehensive sharing arrangements among coastal states.”
Industry representative body Seafood Ireland Alliance welcomed the report but said it was disappointed it “somewhat underplays the difficulties in the relationship between industry and government.”
